Last week when we unveiled the new Rivals 150 for 2024, prospects around the country naturally felt every emotion from anger to validation.
For those fortunate enough to experience the latter, the start of summer signifies the emergence of a bull’s-eye that’s either increased in size or making its debut smackdab in the middle of their travel team jerseys.
Either way, resting on laurels at this juncture is a sure-fire way for a freefall on the next rankings revamp. For players on the other side of the ranking’s motivation, leaving a lasting impression over the next three weeks is paramount.
To that end, we’ve zeroed in on five prospects who have something to prove after the Rivals150 update.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Previews: Five who will enter 2025 rankings
Monday: 2024 Top 10 Countdown
Tuesday: New 2024 Rivals150 unveiled | Cassidy's thoughts on new Rivals150
Wednesday: New 2024 position rankings
Thursday: New 2025 Rivals150 unveiled | Storylines surrounding 2025 update
Friday: Rivals Rankings Roundtable
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Sounds odd to say that the No. 1 overall prospect in the Rivals 150 needs to step his game up, but the reality is that he’s got formidable prospects on his heels looking to dethrone him. As top dog, Harper has the country’s biggest bull’s-eye after dominating all comers this spring in the Nike EYBL. At 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, Harper has the size and strength to take over games and the IQ to dominate without having to score. All things considered, taking Harper’s spot is no easy feat, especially when he’s got a dominant mentality every time he steps onto the hardwood.
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Edgecombe made one of the biggest leaps in the latest rankings update, moving up 26 spots to No. 23 overall. He’s coming off an MVP showing at adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, where he more than backed up his newfound ranking, averaging 18.7 points (40 percent from the 3-point line), five rebounds, three assists, 3.7 steals and 1.7 blocks a game. Edgecombe is also coming off winning Player of the Year in the country’s toughest high school league (NIBC) and shows no signs of taking his foot off the proverbial gas.
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Once considered a mainstay in the top tier of the 2024 class, the 6-foot-7 wing officially lost his five-star status in the latest update, dropping to No. 29 overall. Cunningham’s production has been solid, posting 12.5 points, 3.7 and 1.3 assists a game, but his light was dimmed a bit sharing the floor with Dylan Harper and Tyler Betsey. Cunningham has the tools, but he’ll have to elevate his production to reclaim his standing.
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The 6-foot-6 wing made a steep climb in the latest rankings update, hiking 72 spots to No. 37 overall. Why? Richmond has been on a tear all spring, averaging 18 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game for the NJ Scholars. His blend of speed and quickness and his ability to maneuver into the lane and utilize his elite athleticism to finish at the rim indicates that he’s just getting started with his ascension in the class. Good luck halting his rise.
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After jumping 96 spots to No. 39 overall in the class, Swartz has become known as Mr. Springtime. Swartz took the Nike EYBL by storm averaging 21 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists a game. The good news for Swartz is that his dominant showing (No. 3 overall in scoring in the EYBL) has landed him in striking distance for five-star status in the future, the downside, however, is that his peers can see him coming. This is where Swartz’s mindset will serve him well, the 6-foot-4 scoring guard told Rivals in May that even with his showing this spring he didn’t feel like he’d accomplished anything yet. That hunger could lead to another hike.
